It has been over 15 years since horror king Sam Raimi made an original film after Drag Me to Hell. In that time, he has either been producing or writing horror projects, or he has been stuck directing studio blockbusters that has restrained his artistic vision. Raimi returns to the directorial chair with Send Help, another true original. Combining survival horror with workplace hierarchy politics, Send Help is not only a return to form for Raimi, but it is an unexpected crowd-pleaser.
Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls) is the secret weapon that keeps her employer afloat. However, her awkward nature prevents her from being seen as valuable by her new boss, Bradley (Dylan O’Brien, Twinless) who mistreats her at every chance he gets. This includes giving the promotion he promised her to his best friend. To prove him wrong, he challenges her to show her merits at the upcoming company merger in Thailand. However, the plane crashes during a storm and strands them on an island where they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive.
The “stranded on the deserted island” narrative is one of the oldest in the book. It combines the harrowing battle of survival with the psychologically draining experience of realizing that help may not be coming. However, given its classic status, the trope can easily fall into clichés in the wrong hands. Thankfully, Send Help is in Raimi’s hands and he pushes the premise to its limits. He injects it with swagger, style, and unmistakable directorial flair.
Using the deserted island as a backdrop, Raimi dives into the complicated power dynamics of work-place hierarchies. Linda is an employee who is constantly abused by her superiors through bullying or public humiliation. She is at her breaking point. Bradley, a spoiled nepo-baby who gleefully abuses and humiliates her in front of her co-workers, picks on her the most. That power dynamic completely changes on the island. Linda, who is an avid watcher of Survivor, is not just surviving–she is thriving on this island. Bradley, meanwhile, is injured and completely useless. He depends entirely on Linda, which infuriates him. Linda wants to be seen as an equal, but Bradley refuses to treat her as one, which makes their relationship slowly fall into a battle of will and wits to survive.
In that battle is where Raimi’s direction comes into frame. Embracing the camp and absurdity of this premise, Raimi creates a dark, yet playful tone that only he can perfect. Anchored by the brilliant McAdams and O’Brien, Send Help is a surprisingly fun, crowd-pleasing survival thriller about having to deal with a terrible boss. The film is nasty, mean, and gnarly in the best way possible. Although it runs a little long, it still thrills, especially if you’ve ever experienced an abusive boss. (Like I have.) Overall, Send Help is a return to form for Raimi that proves he hasn’t lost his touch.
